These Are the Days
by lighthope
Summary: A new generation fic: Take a peek into one of the BSC's favorite client families - the Barrett-DeWitt clan, especially the two oldest, Buddy Barrett and Lindsey DeWitt, who are now the same age as their former baby-sitters were in the series.
1. Fireworks

**Title:** These Are the Days (Working title for now)

**Rating: **PG-13 for later chapters

**Summary:** It's five years after the original BSC was in 8th grade. Take a peek into the lives of one of their former client families: the Barrett/DeWitts, most especially the two oldest, Buddy Barrett and Lindsey DeWitt, who themselves are now the same age as the former babysitters were in the series.

**Notes**: Okay, this fic is directly inspired by the NBSC RPG on GreatestJournal. (Heh, I play Lindsey. Surprised, huh? ;D) Go check it out: go to and type in newbsc in the user box. Dedication goes to Ali and Emily (who play Dana and Buddy, respectively), for getting me jumpstarted with this by their 4th of July thread! :D (Go check out the RPG and apply for Myriah!)

And, the best part of all… there is NO mention of a BSC, either the original or any new one, in this fic (so far). But if you want to know who's in my (well, our, if you consider that it's not just me in the RPG) version of the new BSC, here it is:

President: Carolyn Arnold

VP: Marilyn Arnold

Secretary: Charlotte Johannsen

Treasurer: Rosie Wilder

Alternate Officer: Becca Ramsey

Members:

Margo Pike

Karen Brewer

Derek Masters

Betsy Sobak

Hannie Papadakis

Junior Member: Myriah Perkins

Associate Members:

Maria Kilbourne

James Hobart

**Disclaimer**: None of these people are mine. They're Ann M. Martin's. So leave me alone. runs away

Please review! This is my first (published) BSC fic. (Not my first fic, however.) Constructive criticism is welcome; flames will be used to barbeque ribs. (Mmm, ribs…) Or burn homework, whichever I feel the need to do first.

These Are the Days

Chapter 1 Fireworks

          It was the fourth of July. Bright sparkles and booms littered the once-dark night sky as toddlers ran for cover into the comforting arms of their mothers, and other kids oohed and ahhed and asked their parents how they did that. The teenagers were cuddled with someone special on a blanket (or were trying to find someone to do that with, in the case of one Lindsey DeWitt)… all but one.

          Buddy Barrett found himself in one of the most precarious situations of all… under the spell of romance.

He remembered earlier in the week, when his stepsister Madeline DeWitt begged and pleaded him to watch Aladdin with her. Animated cartoons weren't really his thing (he appreciated the actual animation, as he had artistic tendencies), but he couldn't resist her pleas.

          "Please, Buddy? Lindsey and Taylor are both gone, and Suzi has to do her homework. And Marnie and Ryan are no fun, they start whining halfway through the movie to change it. And Dad and Natalie… well, they're always so busy."

          So Buddy, being the good brother that he is, obliged and sat down with Madeline to watch Aladdin. He didn't enjoy it terribly, but there was one line that struck a nerve with him.

          "Is she pretty?"

          "Beautiful. She's got these eyes that just – and this hair, wow… and her smile…"

          As Aladdin went into some sort of dreamy state, Buddy sighed right along with him. Not because he had a crush on Princess Jasmine; no, it reminded him of his own… feelings.

          Dana Cheplin, he had known for almost two years now, when she transferred to his school (Stoneybrook Middle) in the seventh grade. They hadn't hung out too much before, but when Buddy and his friend Jackie Rodowsky started up a band, she auditioned to be the lead singer, and it all went from there. He had never noticed how pretty her long blonde hair was, cascading down her back; how infectious her innocent smile became, or how her eyes sparkled when she was excited. He saw all that when she sang. It was truly evident that she loved to sing. And it was becoming painfully obvious that Buddy loved to watch her sing.

          He was startled out of his thoughts not by the movie, but a new voice.

          "Buddy! Get Jackie out of my face before I kick the drum set!"

          Grumbling, Buddy got up at the sound of his stepsister Lindsey DeWitt's (annoying, he thought to himself) voice. He had forgotten that his yet-to-be-named band was to practice today; they had their first real performance ever in three days, and they were only halfway through their stuff.

          "Lindsey! Don't you dare touch that drum set! Your dad will kill you!" He then turned to Madeline, who was looking sadly at him. "Hey kiddo, don't worry, I'm sure Taylor or Franklin or Mom will watch with you, okay?" He ruffled her hair affectionately, then rushed outside to find Marilyn Arnold, Jackie's girlfriend, holding his arm as if to hold him back from Lindsey, who was, well, just being Lindsey, and twirling the drumsticks in her hands. Buddy sighed. He did not need this right now. Glancing around, he found all of his bandmates there, including Dana. He sighed even louder; he REALLY did not need this right now.

          "If you don't leave right now, Lindsey, I'm going to sit in front of your door all night and play annoying guitar songs."

          Lindsey smirked. "You wouldn't."

          Buddy stepped up to her. "Try me."

          They stood there, deadlocked in a heated staring contest, until Lindsey rolled her eyes and said, "Whatever. I was just standing here." Throwing the drumsticks carelessly behind her, she stormed out in a huff. Buddy winced as he heard one of the drumsticks make contact with someone and an "Owwww" from none other than their very own Walking Disaster. _Ugh, LINDSEY!_ Buddy thought irritably, hoping she didn't do any lasting damage. He took a deep breath and turned around, finding Jackie clutching his hip. "Dude, I'm so sorry that my stupid stepsister has to be so… I'm sorry," Buddy finally said.

          Jackie forced a smile. "It's all good, don't worry. I'll be fine."

          "You sure?" Marilyn asked from his side, concerned.

          Jackie smiled at her, nodded, and then took his place at the drum set. Buddy felt all eyes on him… especially Dana's startlingly beautiful blue eyes, watching him with concern.

          "Uh… sorry about that, guys. Anyway, we've got a gig in three days, so we have to practice like crazy! You ready?"

          A cheer from the five others was his answer, and with that, the band yet to be known as Firecracker started their practice.

          Now, their first gig over and praise filtering from all around, Buddy found himself alone, watching the fireworks. He scanned the crowd and saw a lone figure sitting on the swings a little forlornly; his heart did a little jump when he spotted the trademark waist-length blonde hair swaying in the darkness. Giving himself enough time to muster up some courage, he smoothed down his American flag shirt, ran a hand through his hair, then got up and nonchalantly wandered in the direction of the swings.

          "Need a push there?" he asked playfully.

          Dana turned around, startled, at the voice. Her expression visibly softened when she saw Buddy standing there. "Hey. Nah, I'm just sitting here to watch the fireworks. I love how pretty they are." She looked up to the sky and sighed.

          Buddy nodded, and smiled. "You sure?"

          Dana hesitated for a moment, then said, "Actually, I'd love for you to push me. My dad used to push me on the swings when I was little."

          "Does he still do that?" asked Buddy, grasping the chains of the swing Dana was sitting on.

          Sighing heavily, Dana shook her head. "No. My parents got divorced when I was six."

          Buddy smiled a wry smile. "Would you look at that. We've got something in common. My parents divorced when I was seven. I don't really see my dad either. So I guess I owe you this."

          Pulling back on the chains, he let go and started pushing the swing that Dana sat on, watching her golden strands fly out behind her, hearing her musical laugh, and as she went higher and higher, his heart started to fly with her; he could see she was truly having a good time, and that made all the difference in the world.

          Finally, she came back down, and she was grinning. "Oh my gosh, Buddy, I haven't swung that high in forever! And to see the fireworks going off… it was like I was almost close enough to touch them!"

          Buddy smiled, a real, true, heartfelt smile, at Dana's enthusiasm; she got up and faced him, and as she stood before him, he wondered how she would fit in his arms.

          _Wow, where did that__ come from? Sounds like something out of one of those cheesy soap operas Lindsey likes to watch sometimes._

          "So, uh…" Buddy began, not knowing what to say. But he soon discovered that there really wasn't a lot to say; they stood there, looking at each other, and realizing that words weren't needed. The moment was so perfect, Buddy was afraid to ruin it by speaking. Finally, he noticed a strand of Dana's hair that was loose, and slowly, tentatively, he reached out and tucked it behind her ear. Dana smiled faintly at the gesture, but her eyes were sparkling. Sparkling like they did every time she was excited. That had to be some sort of sign.

          _It's now or never, Barrett._

          "Dana, I…" He hesitated, his voice barely above a whisper.

          "Yes?" she replied, almost instantly, in the same tone of voice.

          "I… I think you did a really great job today," he finally finished, lamely.

          _Oh, my GOD! You are such an idiot, Buddy!_

          "Oh… thanks," Dana said, vaguely, but when he looked at her again, the sparkle had faded away.

          The silence that ensued was awkward, not like before when it was magical. Dana broke the silence this time. "I have to go," she said, breathlessly. "The fireworks are over."

          Buddy looked up at the dark sky with the shadows of the bright lights now floating towards the sea. "Oh. Yeah."

          "So…" Dana said. "I guess I'll see you later?"

          Buddy just nodded, and then said, "Dana?"

          She turned from leaving, her blonde hair flipping back in a graceful way that Buddy couldn't help but notice, and inquired, "Yes?"

          He took a deep breath, looked her straight in the eye, and told her, "Dana, I like you. A lot."

          At this, Dana rushed toward him and threw her arms around him; Buddy, surprised but pleased, returned the gesture, as one last explosion filled the sky with beautiful shimmers of light. As Buddy looked up to admire it, he realized one thing.

          The girl in his arms felt like she was made to fit there.


	2. Pieces of Me

Here's Chapter 2. Thanks for the feedback, guys. I'm trying to get more reviews on this story, so I won't put up the next chapter until I get at least five reviews on this one. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not mine.

These Are the Days

Chapter 2: Pieces of Me

          _"On a Monday, I am waiting_

_          By Tuesday, I am fading_

_          And by Wednesday, I can't sleep…"_

Satisfied with the song on the radio, Lindsey DeWitt looked in the mirror, surveying her appearance. She had let her hair down and put a trucker hat that said "Cuter than You" sideways over it; in her ears glistened silver medium-sized hoops (_I should get a second set of piercings soon,_ she thought to herself), and she wore an off-the-shoulder white shirt with the neck stretched out over a red tank top. The white shirt was tied in a knot behind her back, exposing her sparkling belly button ring; she had changed it recently from a pink and purple sparkler to a deep green one – emerald was Lindsey's birthstone. She also donned a black miniskirt and red chunky flip-flops; plastic bracelets were stretched and twisted on both of her wrists.

          Lindsey smiled at her reflection. She looked good. She was preparing to go see a new band perform in a record store at the mall, and she was going with this guy she had met at the 4th of July block party a few days ago – Linny Papadakis.

          Despite growing up in the same, tiny, hometown, Linny and Lindsey's paths never really crossed; Lindsey had moved to Stoneybrook when she was seven, and lived in a small house on the outskirts of town until her father married Natalie Barrett and their huge, blended family (seven kids – what a drag) moved into one big house. But from the friends she had made and what she'd heard, her house was nothing compared to the mansions on the rich end of Stoneybrook. She and Linny had never gone to the same school, never really hung out too much; there were these play groups and things when she was younger and was babysat by these nice girls that also babysat for Linny (and practically everyone else in the neighborhood), but that was five years ago. Now… Linny was a freshman at Stoneybrook High, and even though he didn't play football or anything (_That would be so cliché, a football player and a cheerleader, _Lindsey thought), he was still really cute, and had a great smile. And apparently, he and Lindsey shared the same taste in music; they both thought that Lindsey's stepbrother's band, Firecracker, wasn't all that great, and decided they wanted to go watch a heavier (and better) band play somewhere else.

          _"When the phone rings, I hear you_

_          In the darkness, it's a clear view_

_          'Cause you've come to rescue me…"_

          "Lindsey, turn that down! The phone's for you!" someone yelled from downstairs. At the moment, she really didn't care who.

          She called out, "Okay, I got it!" and grabbed the cordless phone off the wall unit in the hallway, and said, "Hey, it's Lindsey."

          "_Hey. You need a ride_?" It was the unmistakable voice of Linny.

          "Actually… yeah, I do. I was planning to catch a ride to the mall with someone from my family today, 'cause there's always at least one person who goes out… but I guess not tonight."

          "_Well, Hannie's over here freaking out because she just found out that the band is having practice every day this week, since, apparently, you guys are going on vacation for a while starting next week_." Hannie Papadakis was the backup singer for Firecracker.

          Lindsey, forgetting for a minute what the phone call was actually about, grinned at the thought of leaving Stoneybrook for big city lights, the beach, and all the stuff you just couldn't get in a small town like she lived in. "Yep, we're going to Sea City, and then to New York City and Niagara Falls, and probably even Canada, too!"

          She could hear Linny laughing on the other side. "What?"

          "_Nothing.__ It's just amusing to watch – I mean, hear — you get excited_."

          Lindsey raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. "_Anyway… my mom's gonna bring Hannie over there, so I figured she could bring you back here, and then we can go with my friends from here. Is that okay_?"

          "That sounds fine. I guess I'll see you later."

          "_Yep, see you, Linds_."

          Lindsey smiled at the use of the nickname that only her friends called her. "Okay." She hung up the phone and went back to her room, grinning like an idiot. _I wonder if he likes me… maybe I should test him with a little flirting or something._ Lindsey's grin grew mischievous and she peered in the mirror again. She smiled. She looked good, she was going out with a great guy, the song on the radio was good…

          Picking up her hairbrush and using it as her microphone, she began to belt out the words with Ashlee Simpson. Singing was Lindsey's secret love, and hers alone; she had an amazing voice, but no one knew about it. There was just something about it that she wanted to keep to herself.

          Lindsey stood in front of her mirror, imagining it as a camera and the space she was standing on as the American Idol stage. That was her dream. As she sang, her voice sounded even better than Ashlee's.

          _"Fall, sometimes I fall so fast_

_          When I hit that bottom crash, you're all I have_

_          Oh, it seems like I can finally rest my head on something real_

_          I like the way that feels_

_          Oh, it's as if you know me better than I ever knew myself_

_          I love how you can tell_

_          All the pieces, pieces, pieces of me_

_          How do you know everything I'm about to say?_

_          Am I that obvious?_

_          And if it's written on my face,_

_          I hope it never goes away… yeah"_

          She laughed in much the same way Ashlee did in her music video, and her reflection laughed with her. But then Lindsey noticed something else in her reflection that hadn't been there before.

          Whirling around in horror, she found her stepbrother, Buddy Barrett, standing in the doorway, staring at her with his mouth open. Her look mirrored his for just a split second, and then she resumed her usual snobby attitude, put her hands on her hips, and said, "Can I help you?"

          "I… uh… are you going somewhere?" Buddy seemed to recover from whatever shock Lindsey had given him.

          "As a matter of fact, I am. Is that any of your business? Wait, I know. You're going to try and lecture me on what I wear, right? This is too revealing?"

          Buddy snorted. "I don't care what you wear, Lindsey. It might matter to me _who_ you go with, but as long as you're not naked, I don't care what you wear."

          "Why should you care if I'm going out with Linny Papadakis?" Lindsey asked.

          "Going out? Like, you're dating him?" Buddy's eyes went wide again.

          "No, stupid. I'm going out somewhere with him. We're not dating – I've only met him once," Lindsey explained, rolling her eyes and acting if as she was talking to a little child (like her brother Ryan, who was seven). _At least, we're not going out yet,_ Lindsey thought to herself, with a smirk.

          Buddy rolled his eyes right back at her. "Geez, you don't have to get all dumb on me, I was just asking. Anyway, I came up here to find the phone – I need to call Bryant and see if he's coming." Bryant Phillips, a sixth-grader, was another member of Buddy's band – he played bass guitar. (Buddy himself played lead guitar.)

          "Well, it's right here." Lindsey exchanged the hairbrush in her hand for the phone on her dresser and then handed it to Buddy. "Knock yourself out."

          "Thanks." Buddy took it and was about to call Bryant, but he stopped. "Hey, Lindsey?"

          "What?" she answered, in an exasperated tone.

          "I didn't know you had such an amazing voice," he replied, sincerely.

          Lindsey's expression (and demeanor) softened at the compliment, and she said, "Well, now you know."

          And without another word, the two of them ventured downstairs. Lindsey went through the garage, surprisingly not bothering the three band members that were already there, though she did almost make a face at Jackie Rodowsky (the two of them had an intense dislike for each other that started in about the fifth grade) and resisted the urge to tip her hat to him and smirk, "How goes it, Ron?" (Everyone thought that Jackie looked like Ron Weasley from the _Harry Potter_ movies, and they also knew that Jackie disliked Harry Potter with a passion. Consequently, Lindsey called him that every chance she got.) Instead, she walked confidently and wordlessly to the end of the driveway, where she saw a dark-haired girl climbing out of the minivan, waving her hands frantically. "Hey guys, I'm here!" Hannie yelled, rushing up the driveway as Lindsey made her way down.

          "Save your breath, Bryant's not here yet," Lindsey commented, and then, to her surprise, another figure stepped out of the car, and Lindsey broke out into a grin.

          "I thought you weren't coming," she said, putting on her best flirtatious look.

          Linny shrugged. "Mom said that we were running late and that your house was on the way, anyway, so we decided we'd pick you up on the way. Come on, let's go."

          The two of them looked at each other for just a split second, and Lindsey could feel his eyes looking her over. She threw a little oomph in her step, and Linny grinned. "You look hot."

          "I try." Lindsey stole a glance back at her garage, where most of the people were staring at her with incredulity; she tossed them a smirk back, and with Linny's hand on the small of her back, guiding her in, she prepared to have a good time.


	3. Learning By Ear

Thanks for the reviews guys! Here's Chapter 3 (yay for Buddy and Dana goodness!)

These Are the Days  
Chapter 3: Learning By Ear

"Buddy."

Buddy turned to see Dana standing there, smiling at him. He returned the gesture and started to walk toward her.

"Buddy…"

His eyebrows furrowed. He was right there in front of her, yet she sounded like she was calling him from far away. Did she not see him?

"BUDDY!"

His eyes shot open and he found not the blonde waves that belonged to Dana in front of him, but the chestnut/auburn locks of his stepsister, Lindsey, hanging over him. He got up off the couch, and irritated yet again, growled, "What?"

"Natalie wants you to help set the table," Lindsey said, simply. Buddy looked up at her and realized something was different about her… for once, her face wasn't contorted into a scowl.

"Did you have fun on your date?" Buddy inquired.

Lindsey's cheeks began to color. "It wasn't a date, how many times do I have to tell you?"

But she was smiling. Buddy took that as a yes to his question.

"Whatever you say, Lindsey," Buddy said, rising to a standing position. "I'm going to go help Mom now."

After dinner, Buddy was sitting around on the Internet when a random IM screen popped up.

**DanaGirl13**: Hi :)

Buddy smiled and typed a reply back.

**buddyb345**: Hey you. How goes it?  
**DanaGirl13**: I'm doing okay. Just feeling a little dizzy.  
**buddyb345**: Are you okay?  
**DanaGirl13**: Yeah. I think I just need to go take my insulin shot. Hold on.  
**buddyb345**: Okay. Hope it makes you feel better.

**Auto response from DanaGirl13**: Poking myself with sharp things; I'll be back in a jiffy!

Buddy frowned, wondering what it was like to have to give yourself shots every day. _Someone as beautiful and wonderful as Dana shouldn't have to go through that every day,_ he thought. He then remembered one of his old baby-sitters, Stacey McGill, who had the same condition that Dana did. There were times when she would get sick and have to go to the hospital; Buddy wished that nothing like that would happen to Dana.

"Hey Buddy! I've been trying to get your attention for like two minutes now!" a voice yelled. Startled, Buddy turned around and found his stepbrother Taylor there.

"Hey man, what's up?" Buddy asked, shifting in his seat.

Taylor asked, "You think I can use that when you're done?"

Buddy exhaled, ran a hand through his hair, and nodded. "Yeah. But it'll be a bit."

"Why? What are you up to?"

Just like Lindsey earlier, Buddy said nothing but the color of his cheeks gave it away. "What?" Taylor prodded.

"I… I'mtryingtoaskagirlout," was what came out. Taylor nodded. "I see. Well, dude, I would love to let you be, but unfortunately, Dad's forcing me to finish this project that I promised him I would do." He gave Buddy an apologetic smile, and Buddy's face fell.

"Are you sure you can't ask him to just wait?"

"Dude, I tried. Do you think I want to be here? But no, he insisted that it has to be done tonight. Some kind of thing for his work or something." Taylor sighed. "Well think of it this way. You can always call her and instead of just watching her type, you can hear her beautiful voice and all that good stuff."

Buddy grinned. His brother did have a point.

Taylor chuckled and said, "Man, you've got it bad. Now hurry up and say bye to lovergirl so I can finish this up for Dad."

Buddy, still thinking about Dana, nodded vaguely and turned to the screen, where the IM window was now flashing.

**DanaGirl13**: Okay, I'm back!  
**DanaGirl13**: Hello?  
**buddyb345**: Hey, sorry about that. My brother was talking to me about something.  
**DanaGirl13**: Oh, okay. I feel a lot better now.  
**buddyb345**: Good. Hey… I hate to cut this short, but I have to go now. My brother needs to use the computer.  
**DanaGirl13**: Oh… well, alright. I guess I'll talk to you later then.  
**buddyb345**: Okay. grins It may be sooner than you think. Bye Dana!  
**DanaGirl13**: Bye! :)

**buddyb345**** signed off at ****7:36:42 PM**

"There you go, Taylor," Buddy said, getting up and offering the seat to his brother.

"Thanks, dude," Taylor replied, sitting in the seat. "Good luck with…" He trailed off, apparently not knowing the name of the girl Buddy was enamored with.

"Her name's Dana," Buddy told him.

"Okay," Taylor said, nodding but half-listening.

In the same daze, Buddy made his way upstairs to try and get the phone, not realizing that he lived with a thirteen-year-old girl. So when he got to the unit on the wall and found it gone, he panicked, until he saw Lindsey sitting on her bed, her feet up, talking to someone.

"So like, when we were waiting for his mom to pick us up, he said to me, 'I really like you, Lindsey, and I don't know why, because I've only known you for about a week. But you're my kind of girl.' And then he kissed me. He _kissed_ me, Dri, can you believe it?"

Buddy's jaw dropped and he was torn painfully from his dream state. _And she said it wasn't a date…_

"Oh, you have to go? Okay. I might go online later, so maybe I'll see you then. Bye, Dri! Thanks for listening to me." She hung up the phone and lay back happily. Buddy took this as his cue to knock on the door.

"Yeah?"

"Hey Lindsey, can I use the phone?"

She shrugged. "Sure. Catch." She pitched the cordless set to her brother, who caught it. "Thanks."

"No problem." He went across the hall to his own room, where he pondered, _I kind of like this Lindsey better than the annoying mean Lindsey… but I can't believe Linny kissed her! Wait until I get my hands on that guy._

Buddy was thankful for this distraction because after he remembered why he had the phone, he got nervous all over again. "I'm calling a girl," he said to himself, out loud. He took deep breaths to calm himself. _Buddy, it will be okay. Just do it!_

Quickly, before he could change his mind, Buddy dialed the number after Dana's name on the info list Firecracker had made up that day. _It's ringing… oh gosh… hang up now!_

"_Hello_?"

Buddy tried to open his mouth to talk, but nothing was happening. He looked like a fish with the way his mouth opened and closed.

"_Hello_?" the voice repeated. And Buddy realized that it wasn't Dana.

"Uh… hi, is this Dana? I mean, no, it's not Dana, it's Buddy…"

_ARGH! Just say it, Buddy!_

"Um… can I talk to Dana?" he finally managed to spit out.

"_Who is this_?" the voice inquired.

"Buddy Barrett," he replied, feeling his heart pounding in his chest.

"_Oh, you're __Taylor__'s stepbrother_!" the voice said, recognizing the name. "_Hang on, I'll get her for you. DANA!!!_"

Buddy held the phone away from his ear. Why did kids do that? He knew Suzi and Madeleine still did that, and it was irritating.

There was silence, in which Buddy thought lasted way too long, until finally, a new voice said, "_Hello_?"

Buddy smiled. "Hi there."

"_Hey, Buddy. How are you?_"

"I'm doing good. Hey… I was going to ask you something earlier, but I got kicked off by my brother."

"_Okay… what is it?_"

"I…" Suddenly, words left Buddy. Why was asking a girl to the movies this hard? Going to the movies was never this complicated before.

"Well, see… I was wondering… didcomeatoyouwatchwithmoviewantme?" As soon as this left his mouth, Buddy was mortified and blushed a deep shade of crimson. _Thank goodness she can't see me! She must think I'm such an idiot!_

"_Um… did you mean if you wanted me to come to a movie with you?_" Dana asked on the other end, her voice unsure.

"Yeah. That's what I meant."

"_Oh_." There was another silence, and Buddy's heart sank. _Great.__ She doesn't want to go to the movies with me. She doesn't like me._

"Yeah, I would love to watch something with you. What did you have in mind?"

"Oh, okay… Well, maybe another… wait. Did you just say yes?"

Dana laughed. "_Yes, silly. I like spending time with you, Buddy. I… actually, I like you a lot._"

Buddy nearly dropped the phone in shock. _Dana, liking him?__ Was this too good to be true?_

"You… you do?"

Dana sighed. "_Why do you think I hugged you the other night?_"

Buddy smiled at the memory. "I don't know. So… what movie did you want to see?"

"_Anything is good for me. When did you want to go_?"

"How about Saturday night? I can ask my mom to take us."

"_Perfect. I guess I'll see you then_!"

Buddy breathed a sigh of relief. "I can't wait," he said, sincerely. After his comment, a weird silence ensued. _So what now? What do I say to Dana?_

His unspoken question must have been heard by somebody, because right then, Buddy heard the unmistakable beep of call waiting. "Hey, Dana, I have another call. Hold on."

Buddy waited for her "_Okay_" before he clicked over. "Hello?"

"_Uh… is Lindsey there_?"

Ever the overprotective stepbrother, Buddy's eyes narrowed. "Who is this?"

"_It's Linny_."

He felt this anger rise up in him that he didn't know he had. "Okay, you listen to me. You are not going to hurt my sister in any way, or else I'll sink the whole neighborhood on you."

"_Whatever. I'm not going to hurt her. Can I talk to her now_?"

Buddy rolled his eyes. _Man, these two are definitely made for each other._

"Hold on for a sec. I'm on the other line with someone else."

"_Kay_."

Buddy switched back over to Dana. "I hate being in such a big family," he complained.

"_Why is that_?" Dana inquired.

"People always want to use the phone and the Internet. Someone's calling for Lindsey," he said, apologetically.

"_Oh… okay. Well, I'll see you on Saturday, plus we'll see each other at band practices and stuff, right?_"

"Yeah." Buddy's heart lifted at that. "I guess so."

"_Then it's all good. I'll talk to you later, okay?_"

"Sure thing. Bye, Dana."

"_Bye, Buddy. Thanks for inviting me to the movies._"

Buddy grinned. "My pleasure."

---

Click on that little blue button thing. I read somewhere that his name was Herman, but that's been unconfirmed. ;D


	4. Unexpected Encounters

Thanks for all your reviews, guys! They mean a lot. Here is Chapter 4 (sorry to keep you waiting, but I keep forgetting that this story is here…)

----

These Are the Days  
Chapter 4: Unexpected Encounters

"Hey, Lindsey, phone."

Buddy poked his head into Lindsey and Madeleine's room, his voice a little dull; Lindsey guessed that he was probably on the phone with Dana and was interrupted by a call for _her_. She grinned.

"Okay." Lindsey got up to retrieve the cordless; she was afraid it was going to die on her with all the talking that had been done. "Hey."

"_Hey yourself._"

Lindsey's face broke into a happy smile. "Linny! What's up?"

"_Nothing, just wanted to talk to you, and ask if you wanted to come hang out with us again on Saturday. A whole bunch of us are going to the movies and… I wanted you to come with us._"

"Sure, I don't think we're doing anything that weekend."

_"Cool. We'll swing by and pick you up at around six."_

"Perfect."

There was a comfortable pause, and then Lindsey said, "So… I had a great time tonight. That band was awesome."

_"Yeah it was. It'd be even more awesome if you were in it though. I could totally see you rocking out up there."_

"Wow, you're giving me compliments left and right. Didn't know you had it in you."

_"Yeah well… you're doing something to me, Lindsey. Can't explain it, but you're making me… _feel_ things I've never felt before."_

Lindsey blushed. "Oh, really? What kind of things?"

There was another silence, this one a little strained, and then he responded, _"Guy things."_

There were a million things that could be implied by that, Lindsey knew, but somehow the one that her mind got stuck on made her feel a little uncomfortable. _Guy things? They were barely teenagers and he was going through that already?_

"Well… thanks… I guess," Lindsey replied.

_"You can't help it if you're hot," _Linny's voice replied, and Lindsey blushed again. Wow. She wasn't used to hearing this kind of talk. Part of her knew she should stop right there and not even pursue this relationship, to just cancel the date and not ever talk to him again.

But a different part of her liked the attention she was getting, even if it was for obviously wrong reasons. She laughed and told him, "Well, I do try. For you."

"_You're doing a good job, 'cause I notice."_

"Good." She was about to say more when her handset started beeping annoyingly. "Hey, I have to go. Too many people have been using this thing and it's dying."

"_Okay. Well, I guess I'll see you on Saturday, and I can't wait to see you._"

Lindsey grinned again. "Back at ya. Bye."

"_Bye_." With many things weighing on her mind, Lindsey replaced the handset on its base for some well-needed charging, and sat back down on her bed. This was going to be interesting.

-- Saturday night --

"Mom! Have you seen my blue shirt?"

"It's down here in the laundry, Buddy! Natalie, where's my skirt?"

"I thought you wore it yesterday, Lindsey."

Lindsey poked her head out of the dryer. "No, I didn't! Did one of _you_ wear it?" She glared menacingly at her sister and step-sister.

The two of them stole a glance between each other, and then pointed at each other. Lindsey rolled her eyes. "I do not have TIME for this! Next time you want to wear something, just _ask_!" She threw her hands up in the air and stomped up the stairs, nearly colliding into Buddy, shirtless, hair full of gel.

"Watch it!" Lindsey snapped. "Trying to go around impressing girls with your shirt off? There's nothing to see, nerd."

Buddy blushed a deep shade of scarlet, but said nothing and pushed his way past Lindsey. She rolled her eyes and continued to stomp up the stairs. "I have nothing to wear!"

"Why are you making such a big deal about it?" Taylor's voice asked from the next door down. "You keep saying it's not a date."

"It's not a date!!!" Lindsey yelled, slamming the door behind her and locking it, so that Madeline had to pound on it to get in, and even then, Lindsey didn't let her in. She glanced at the clock – five-fifteen. She had the urge to throw something. Lindsey picked the nearest thing up from the table and poised to chuck it, but then realized what it was. The phone.

She pressed three buttons: on, memory, six. This was her best friend Adrienne Garvey's number, and right now, she needed her best friend.

"_Hello_?"

"Dri! I need help. I'm going out in forty-five minutes and I have nothing to wear!"

"_Linds__, calm down. Seriously. You're going to give yourself high blood pressure if you keep doing that. Now, take two deep breaths, go over to your closet, and take something out of it._"

"Okay, okay." Lindsey did as her friend told her and pulled out a sparkly green tank top. "Hey, this isn't bad."

"_What'd you get_?"

"The green tank we bought the last time we went to the mall."

"_Oh, that's perfect. Okay. Do you have the jean skirt we bought with that?_"

"No, one of my sisters wore it yesterday and now I don't know where it is! Even if I did, it's probably all stained and wrinkled."

"_Okay. Okay, what about the white denim skirt?_"

Lindsey rummaged around in her closet, ignoring her sister's protests, and found it. "Yeah, I got it."

"_Wear that and the silver belt, put your hair up in a ponytail with the bangs to the side, and either tennis shoes or platforms, whatever you feel like._"

"Dri, you are a genius."

"_Yeah, that's old news._"

The two friends laughed, and then Lindsey said, "Thank you so much. I need to go now before my dad threatens to break down the door."

"_You locked your sister out again?_"

"Yep."

"_Awesome. Don't let her in until you're all ready. Call me later and tell me how it goes, okay?_"

"Sure thing. Thanks again!"

"_No problem_."

Lindsey hung up the phone, changed, and then let her sister in the door. "Lindsey, what did you do that for?"

She shrugged. "Can't a girl get any privacy around here?"

Madeleine just shook her head.

"You look really good, Linds," Linny said as he opened the door for her. She could feel his eyes on her and felt semi self-conscious. Issuing a "thanks," she climbed into the Papadakis vehicle and set off for the movies. Buddy had left about fifteen minutes ago to pick Dana up, for which Lindsey was glad.

On the way there, Linny started absentmindedly playing with her hair. Lindsey smiled. She loved it when people did that. He lifted a lock of her long chestnut hair to his nose and inhaled the scent carefully. "It smells good," he declared. Lindsey laughed. "I hope so."

Her laughs died when Linny put his arm around her shoulders and started stroking the skin of her upper arm on her left side. She turned to look at him and found him staring at her in the same way she'd seen Buddy look at Dana before, but there was something different in Linny's gaze that kind of… unnerved her. But before she could think anything else, Linny suddenly leaned in and kissed her, drawing her closer to him using the arm that was already around her.

It thrilled Lindsey, but it also worried her. His friends were sitting right in front of them, and it felt like they were moving way too fast. Still, the feeling of being kissed overruled all her fears, and she returned the kiss willingly until a loud whistle from their right interrupted them.

"Bug off, man," Linny said, swatting his friend with his free hand, while Lindsey covered her face with her hands – she could feel herself blushing. She probably looked like a Christmas ornament with the contrast of her red skin and green top. He whispered in her ear, "Hey, don't worry about it. My friends do it with their girls all the time. They're just giving me grief – and besides, I couldn't help it, you looked so pretty just sitting there."

Lindsey still hid behind her hands, until Linny pried one of them off her face. "It's okay. They don't care, look."

Sure enough, his friends (a blonde one with brown eyes, and a dark haired one with kind of the same coloring as Lindsey herself) were now debating over some video game or something. Lindsey gave Linny a weak smile.

_Lindsey, you need to act better than that or else they're going to think you're a nerd!_

Her resolve strengthened with her smile. "Okay."

They got to the movie theater, and since Lindsey knew that her brother was there, she told Linny's parents that she'd go home with them. They let his friends pay for the tickets while they waited off to the side. As they waited, Linny dragged her to the side a little. "Hey, come over here," he urged her, leading her around the corner.

"Why?"

"So I can do this." He brought his lips to hers again, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Lindsey was surprised at first, but soon melted into Linny's embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck and letting her fingers venture into the hair at the nape of his neck. As their embrace deepened, she could feel Linny's hands roaming up and down her back, finding their way under her tank top, and it sent an involuntary shudder down her back. She could also feel his tongue asking for entrance into her lips, and she obliged.

_Wow, he's such a good kisser. Wonder how many girls he's practiced on before me,_ Lindsey thought, with a little cynicism.

All of a sudden, everything happened. Lindsey heard footsteps in the background that broke into a run, a "Buddy, no!"; she pulled away quickly, but didn't let go of Linny, and turned to the sound – she saw her stepbrother running towards them at full speed, Dana right at his heels, and the next thing she knew, Linny was on the ground with Buddy above him, his fist poised.

"Buddy, what the hell?" Lindsey exclaimed, anger rising within her.

"This… bastard… all over you…" Buddy was so angry that he couldn't even talk. _Wow, profanity. I'm proud of you, Barrett_. She looked over at Dana, who was not looking happy at all, and said, "Help me get him off of Linny." She nodded and together, the two of them managed to get him away from Lindsey's companion (Lindsey suspected he would have resisted more, but he didn't want to hurt Dana).

Linny glared up at Buddy. "What was that for?"

"I told you if you ever hurt my sister, I'd sink the neighborhood on you," Buddy growled, his breath fast, his cheeks flushed.

Linny shook his head. "And I said I wouldn't. Did it look like she was getting hurt?" He shot a semi-smirk at Lindsey, who smiled back.

Buddy looked uneasily at his step-sister. "I guess not."

"Then why'd you have to do that?" Lindsey asked, now irritated. "Geez, you ruined a date for all parties involved. I'm sure Dana didn't have to see that."

Lindsey ignored the raised eyebrow Dana was giving her. "Now go, I'm sure you have a movie to catch."

Buddy held Lindsey's gaze for a long while, and then said, "We'll talk later." Then he turned to Dana and said, "Sorry about that. Let's go watch the movie." He offered Dana his arm, and she smiled at him shyly and took it. Lindsey rolled her eyes out of pure habit. "Wow, that is so sappy it's almost sickening," she muttered. Behind her, Linny laughed. "Definitely. Now come on, we need to go."

"Okay," Lindsey agreed, but not before stealing one more kiss from Linny.

----

Review! Review! Please?


	5. Just Perfect

Hey everyone. Sorry for abandoning this... I finished it a long time ago, I just never got around to putting it up here. I'll try and get it all up this week, but no promises. :) Thanks for all your support. :D

These Are The Days  
Chapter 5: Just Perfect

There was an awkward silence as Buddy and Dana passed through the doors of the movie theater, Dana still holding on to Buddy's arm.

_Man, I really blew it, huh_? Buddy asked himself. He knew that he shouldn't have made that big of a deal about Lindsey; he had his own date to worry about without causing any problems for her. _It's not like she doesn't give _me_ any trouble, though, _he thought wretchedly. Buddy sighed and turned his attention to Dana. "Want anything?"

"Um… I guess I'll have a Diet Coke and a small popcorn with no butter," she replied.

Buddy nodded. "Okay." As they stood in line, he caught Dana's gaze, which showed… concern? "What is it?"

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

He nodded. "Yeah… I just don't want to see Lindsey doing that to herself. She really is a decent person inside – I've seen her act like a normal human being before," Buddy added, at the skeptical look Dana was giving him. "I know she seems really mean and rude, but she's had a lot to go through in her thirteen short years."

"I believe you," Dana replied. "That doesn't mean that I believe her. That shouldn't be an excuse for her to act the way she does."

Buddy sighed again. "I know. But she's my sister, and I care what happens to her."

"That's perfectly natural," Dana said, nodding. They had reached the front of the line, and so Buddy put in their order of a small diet Coke, a small popcorn, and a small Pepsi. "That comes to $9.50," the attendant said cheerfully, and Buddy stared at her for just a second. _Ten dollars for just that?_ He looked in his wallet, and thankfully, he had just enough to cover it. Handing his ten dollar bill over, he sighed at the two measly quarters he got in exchange. _Man, going to the movies is a ripoff. But… at least she's here with me._

He handed Dana her drink and her popcorn, and they went to find a seat. They sat there, Buddy not knowing what to say to Dana. _Okay, this is really weird…_

"So…" Dana began, taking a sip of her soda. "Um… so, do you think there are any more gigs coming up?"

Buddy nodded. "Yeah… I hope so, anyway. Car hasn't told me anything specific, but apparently there's a Battle of the Bands coming up sometime this summer. Maybe we'll be able to compete at that."

"You think we'd be good enough for it, though?" Dana thought aloud. "I mean, we've only had about seven practices since we've formed."

Buddy smiled reassuringly at her. "Dana, you're the one everyone looks at. You did awesome last weekend. I'd say we have a decent shot."

He saw Dana blush and she said, "Well… you're kind of biased."

Instantly, his cheeks matched hers. "I can't help that. You're beautiful." And on impulse, he took her hand and kissed it.

_What the heck are you doing, Barrett? _his mind screamed at him. But deep down, Buddy knew that he was just doing what felt right. He looked back up at Dana and saw her blushing profusely – but she was beaming.

"Thank you… I guess," she whispered. Buddy just smiled at her and said, "You're welcome."

_Wow, she's so pretty when she smiles like that._

After that, conversation became easier and faster. Buddy learned about Dana's love for music, and she, in turn, learned about how Buddy loved to draw. They talked about other little things until the lights went down and the movie began.

The previews were okay, but he kept getting distracted by Dana next to him. _Should I hold her hand? Put my arm around her?_ He decided to wait and see, and settled in to watch the movie.

About thirty minutes later, Dana leaned over and whispered, "Hey… I hate to sound piggy, but… I don't know, maybe it's this popcorn. I just got really thirsty all of a sudden. Do you think it'd be okay if I got up and got another drink really quick?"

"Did you want some of mine?" Buddy offered. "I still have some."

Dana shook her head quickly. "Nah, it's okay. I don't think I could drink it anyway, it's not diet."

Buddy nodded. "Oh yeah. I forgot." He smiled sheepishly. "I hate being insensitive about stuff like that." _Way to go, forgetting her diabetes like that._

"It's okay. I'll get another one," Dana whispered back. She prepared to exit as quietly as she could, but Buddy stopped her. "Let me," he offered, putting his hand on top of hers. "What did you want?"

"Just water, if that's okay." Dana noticed where Buddy's hand was, and she blushed. "Are you sure about this?" She gave him a worried look.

Buddy nodded, quickly withdrawing his hand from hers after noticing the flush on her cheeks. "Don't worry about it." And on impulse, yet again, he kissed her cheek quickly before he left to get her water. The sight of Dana's grin put a bounce in his step as he went.

When he returned, however (his wallet now drained of all the change he had), his happiness was replaced with a feeling of dread. Dana was nowhere to be found, and there were two people occupying his and Dana's seats. Panicked, but not wanting to make a scene, it was then that he noticed that Dana's purse was resting on the side of the seat, along with Buddy's drink. Sighing, he picked up the items and stood up resignedly, scanning the theater for two empty seats that they could sit in. Unfortunately, many people had the same idea that they had had and the only empty seats were at the very front, where you had to strain your neck to see.

_This sucks,_ Buddy thought, irritably. _Dana probably left because she thought I was being such a bad date_. He made his way to the exit, still clutching Dana's pink purse (which people were now starting to stare at him for) and leaned against the wall, his eyes seeing the movie but his mind not comprehending, and absently taking sips of his drink. It was then that he noticed how funny it tasted. He shook it, wondering if the ice melting had made it taste weird. But there was still a good amount of ice in it. He took another sip, and then realized, in horror, that the reason his soda tasted so weird was because… it was diet. _Which means…_

Buddy raced down the stairs, turned the corner, and ran right smack into another person and consequently spilled soda all over her. "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry," he began to say, until he realized the person he had run into – his very own date. He looked at her helplessly and sank to the floor, head in his hands. "Oh, Dana, I am so sorry."

Dana, confused, in all her sticky clothes, sat down on the floor next to him. "It's okay. What were you doing?"

"I was going to look for you," was the muffled reply, as Buddy still refused to look at her.

"Oh." Dana looked down, apparently ashamed. "I… I really had to go use the restroom, and it couldn't wait until you came back."

Buddy said nothing, just kept his head in his hands, shaking it and occasionally muttering "why me?" Dana felt the tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I… I should have guessed that you didn't like me as much as I like you."

Buddy snapped his head back in alarm. "What? No – that's not what I meant, Dana," he began to say, but she had already started to run back towards the exit. "Dana, wait!"

"SHHHHH!" was the response he got from all the moviegoers, and with a sheepish wave of his hand to signify 'sorry,' Buddy raced after her. _Good going, Barrett. You've just broken the most beautiful heart ever._

He found her at one of the few tables in the lobby, her head resting on her hands just like he had been a few seconds ago. He walked up to her cautiously and asked, "Dana?"

She looked up at him and then back down at the table, wiping her eyes bitterly. "What?"

"Oh, please don't cry." He knelt to be at eye level with her. "I'm so sorry, Dana. I didn't mean to offend you at all. I just… people took our seats, and then I spilled my soda all over you…" he trailed off, not knowing what to do to make her feel better, when he remembered the most important thing. "Dana!"

"What?" she asked again, this time more irritably.

"I… I gave you the wrong soda," Buddy said in a panic. "I had the diet soda and didn't realize it until now. You just got a ton of sugar in your bloodstream. Are… are you going to be okay?"

Dana's face went pale, and her eyes widened, but then Buddy noticed a strange emotion flicker across her face – relief? She smiled, and the hand that had wrenched at Buddy's heart released. "No wonder I'm feeling the way I am. I was worried that I had eaten something earlier that was making me feel like this."

"Feel like what – are you okay?" Buddy asked with increasing concern.

"Not really… I'm just really thirsty and… have to go to the bathroom a lot." Dana blushed, embarrassed, and looked to the ground. "I hate having diabetes," she mumbled.

"Hey, it's okay," Buddy said, getting up and pulling a chair up next to Dana. "You shouldn't be ashamed. It was my fault, anyway, for giving you the wrong soda. And here." He handed her the water bottle he had purchased. "If you're thirsty, drink this."

Dana smiled. "Thank you." She took the water bottle, and her purse, which Buddy was setting on the table, and drank some water. After that, she said, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For making us lose our seats, and making you spend all that money for a movie that we're not even going to be able to watch, between having no seats and me having to run to the ladies' room every ten minutes."

Buddy took his finger and lifted Dana's chin so she was looking at him. "Hey. It is not your fault that you have diabetes. Besides, it's my fault that I triggered your symptoms in the first place. So don't be even a bit sorry."

He was about to say more, but he got lost looking into her deep brilliant azure eyes. They just kind of sat there, staring at each other for a minute, when Buddy said, "Hey, stand up."

"Huh?" Dana said, blinking.

"Stand up." Buddy smiled reassuringly at her. _It's time to prove to her that I do really like her. A lot. More than anyone I've ever liked before._

"Uh… okay," she complied, getting up out of her chair. Once she was completely removed from it, he closed the space between them and wrapped her in a big hug. "I never said I didn't like you," he whispered in her ear, while stroking her long, cascading blonde hair. "In fact, I like you a lot. Just like I said last weekend. I was wondering if you would like to be my girlfriend."

_There, you did it._ Even though Buddy's heart was racing (and he was sure Dana could feel it too), there was just something about that statement that made him giddy with happiness. He heard Dana's gasp of surprise and pulled away just enough to see her face. She was grinning like crazy. Buddy looked at her expectantly and she nodded vigorously. "Yes!" she squeaked out. "I mean… yes," she repeated, in a more civilized voice. "I would love to be your girlfriend, Buddy."

Buddy grinned and hugged her tight again, and then kissed her on the forehead. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Dana said, letting go of him, but holding on to his hands. She took the initiative to intertwine her fingers with his, and they both smiled. "I like that," Buddy told her.

Dana nodded. "Me too." Just then, she quickly let go and took another quick sip – actually, it was more like a gulp – of water, then set it down and raced away. "I'll be back, I promise!" she called over her shoulder. Buddy understood and gave her a thumbs up, then made sure she understood that he would be moving all their stuff outside – he didn't want to stay in the stuffy lobby any more. As he sat on a bench outside, a cool summer breeze blew through the trees behind him, and the moon was shining gently upon Stoneybrook, framed with millions of stars in the darkening sky. _Hmm, maybe I'll take Dana stargazing someday,_ Buddy mused, as he studied the night sky. And as he looked upon it, he thought that the sparkling stars were just like his life right now – perfect, absolutely perfect.


End file.
